Apparatus for liquid distribution for hydraulic brakes



June 29, 1937. M. STANSBURY 2,085,173

APPARATUS FOR LIQUID DISTRIBUTION FOR HYDRAULIC BRAKES Filed Nov. 2,1932' M INVENTOR.

'BY E '64 M ATTORNE Patented June 29, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEAPPARATUS FOR LIQUID DISTRIBUTION FOR HYDRAULIC BRAKES 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in hydraulic brakes for motorvehicles, and has for its object to automatically maintain the properamount of liquid in the braking system, as well as to provide for theescape of air that may enter said system.

The invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of theparts and combination of parts hereinafter more fully set forth in thefollowing specification and pointed out in detail in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the liquid distributing system asapplied to a large car.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of one of the reserve tanksand one of the distributing cylinders.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of one of the reserve tank floats.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail vertical section of one of thecheck-valves used on the distributing cylinders.

Figure 6 is a modification in which two reserve tanks and twodistributing cylinders are employed.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail section of one of the V-unions used inthe modification shown in Fi ure 6.

Figure 8 is a further modification of my invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, forming part of thisspecification, and in which like reference numerals designate like partsthroughout the several views, designates a sheet metal case to besecured to the dash-board under the hood of the car and holding fourreserve tanks 2. Each 'of the tanks 2 are connected by a wire 3 whichleads to a corresponding light 40 mounted on the instrument panel in thedriving compartment of the car, and 4 designates hot wires leading fromsaid tanks to the battery. These wires 4 have one end secured under thescrew 5 which passes through the cover of the reserve tank 2 and holdsthe bearing 6 in position. The said bearing 6 is insulated from thecover. The arm 1 is pivoted in the bearing 6 and has a cord, or chain, 8connected to one end. The said cord 8 is connected at its opposite endto the float 9 so that when the oil in the reserve tank 2 is lowered toa predetermined point, by leakage in the system, the arm 1 will rock onits pivot and cause the free end thereof to contact with the wire 3 andclose the circuit to the light 40 in circuit with that particular tank,thus indicating to the driver in which tank the leakage has occurred. Acopper tube Ill connects each of the reserve tanks 2 with one of thedistributing cylinders I I, which latter are mounted on the frame of thecar. The cylinders H are cast en bloc, the inner walls being machinedout to give a close fit for the pistons l2 therein. A check valve I3 ismounted on each of the cylinders H and each connect with one of thetubes l0 leading from the reserve'tanks 2. The said check-valves l3 arenormally open with their valves It in the position shown in Figure 5 ofthe drawing so that any air that may get into the system will work itsway back and pass up through the valve I3, through the tube Ill andcylinder 2 past the float 9 and out through the air-vent 34 in the coverof the reserve tank 2. The inner end of the cylinders II is covered by aplate 5 which is provided with an air vent 35, the said plate beingeasily removable should repair of parts become necessary. Each of thepiston rods I6 is fastened to a pressure plate so that all the'pistonsl6 will operate in unison. Said plate I1 is connected by means of thelinkage I8 to the brake pedal l9. Each of the cylinders II is providedwith a copper tube 20 running to one of the expansion chambers (notshown) in each wheel of the car. The float 9 in each of the reservetanks 2 is hollow and is provided with a hole 2| in the top and bottomsurfaces, covered by the plates 22 on the rod 23 which latter is mountedin the top and bottom of said float and has a winged head 24 on itsupper end by means of which the rod can be turned to uncover the holes2| to permit air to pass therethrough so that the float 9 can be raisedshould the tank need refilling, also to permit liquid to be put in thefloat 9 in case added pressure on the surface of the column of liquid isdesired. The type of float structure shown with its manually operatedports offers the operator a means for adjusting the operation of theindicating means for by partially filling the float through the saidports the float will ride lower in the liquid and this practice mayinclude the use of that amount, however small, stored within the floatas an additional reserve which may of course be released into thebraking system at will. When the system is in operation the holes 2| areclosed, as

shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. When the piston 2 moves forward theliquid will back up in the check valve l3 forcing the vane |4 upwardlyand closing the valve so that no liquid can be forced through the tubel0, and when 30 tuated brake shoe.

the piston is released any liquid lost will be automatically replaced bythe liquid flowing from the reserve tank 2 to the cylinder II. The tubesID are connected to the cylinders ll near the front end thereof, so thatshould there be a leak in the system the piston I! will only have to bereleased a short distance before uncovering the supply vent. Each of thepistons I2 is provided with a piston ring expanding against the wall ofthe cylinder and giving added protection against bypass of the liquidfrom the front of the cylinder. The lights 40 connected to the wires 3will warn the driver when the fluid in any of the separate systems isnearly all used.

In Figures 6 and 7 of the drawing I have shown a modification in whichthe system is reduced to two reserve tanks enclosed in the case 25, andtwo distributing cylinders 26 connected by tubes 21 to said reservetanks. The two branch conduits II and H connect with the wheel brakes.The internal construction remains the same as that described in Figures1 and 2 with the exception of the removal of the light circuit as an aidin reducing the cost of the production, however the lights may beadapted as described above if desired.

In Figure 8 I have shown a further modification in which all of theabove mentioned systems may be adapted to a machine having a cam ac- Asection of the frame SI and of the spring 32 is shown merely to indicatethe relative position of the frame where the chamber may be placed. Inthis system there will be a chamber for each linkage. Each of theexpansion chambers 30 is provided with an air vent 36 and is connectedby the tube 33 to one of the distributing cylinders heretofore describedin either of the other mentioned systems. By this arrangement perfectequalization of mechanical brakes is assured at all times and will givemore quiet operation as a large number of the drag links etc., which maysqueak and rattle, will be eliminated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

In an hydraulic braking system for vehicles the combination of aplurality of integrally cast master compression chambers each providedwith a piston slidable therein and means for actuating the said pistonsin unison, a plurality of individual reserve tanks each provided with afloat, a plurality of electrical indicating means one contained in eachof the said reserve tanks and mechanically connected to the said floattherein, suitable piping individually connecting the said reserve tanksto the said master compression chambers, a plurality of vane type checkvalves one in each of the said pipes connecting the said reserve tanksto the said compression chambers one of the said check valves locatedadjacent to and near the forward end of each of the said compressionchambers.

MILLER STAN SBURY.

